


Dealing with the Darksaber

by Peppermint_Shamrock



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, The Mandalorian (TV)
Genre: Based on a Tumblr Post, Gen, Post-Mandalorian Season 2, The Mandalorian (TV) Spoilers, The Mandalorian Darksaber (Star Wars)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-31
Updated: 2020-12-31
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:33:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,323
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28444716
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Peppermint_Shamrock/pseuds/Peppermint_Shamrock
Summary: After her recovery, Bo-Katan contacts Din to challenge him for the darksaber.Din is still very muchnotinterested in the whole affair.
Comments: 58
Kudos: 569





	Dealing with the Darksaber

**Author's Note:**

> Takes place after the Season 2 Finale, so spoilers for it, of course.
> 
> [My post](https://jedi-order-apologist.tumblr.com/post/637883500204376064/this-is-almost-certainly-not-going-to-be-what) was well received so I decided to write a fic based on it. I've had a hard time getting my brain into the writing mood lately, but I finally got this done! Hope you enjoy :)

“I’ve already surrendered to you,” Din said, “so you can come pick it up anytime, or I can stop by once I get a new ship.”

The hologram of Bo-Katan Kryze scowled, clearly displeased.

“I can’t accept it,” she said through gritted teeth. “It has to be...a proper combat. That’s why I’m challenging you.”

Din glanced over to Cara for support, only for her to hide her smile behind a drink, the unhelpful traitor. Sure, _she_ thought it was hilarious that he’d accidentally gotten claim to the Mandalorian throne, but _she_ wasn’t the one getting challenged to ritual combat over a fancy glowing sword in the middle of shopping for a suitable replacement for the _Razor Crest_.

“Look,” he said, turning back to the holo-transmitter. “Push me over if it makes you feel better about accepting it, but I don’t have any interest in keeping this sword. You can _have_ it. I…uh...” he paused, searching for words that might be accepted by whatever this tradition seemed to demand, “...renounce my claim to the...uh...darksaber, and everything it represents or entitles me to.” There, that sounded formal and official.

It wasn’t good enough for Bo-Katan, apparently. “You _can’t_ ,” she insisted. “Gideon,” she snarled the name, “wasn’t wrong in what he said about the darksaber. I will, and _must_ win it from you in combat. You cannot yield before we even begin, or throw the fight. It has been tried…” she cut herself off, wincing as she continued through gritted teeth, “ _I_ have tried, to rule Mandalore without winning it truly. Without earning the darksaber, any rule of Mandalore is doomed to fail. It has been this way ever since it came into Mandalorian possession centuries ago. This is more than tradition, _this is the way_.”

It wasn’t the way that _he_ knew.

“And before it came into Mandalorian possession?” Din asked.

“The _Watch_ really taught you nothing of our history,” she said, disdainfully. Din ignored the insult – he was well aware of what she thought of him and the people that raised him, and he really just wanted to get this whole thing over with. So he listened as Bo-Katan began recounting parts of Mandalore’s history, painting a picture of the darksaber as a much needed symbol of unification. It helped him understand a little, at least, of why it was so important to her, but he still couldn’t help but resent that he’d been dragged into this.

And then something in the story caught Din’s interest.

“The Jedi? It was won from a Jedi?”

In some respects, it made sense – he could see the resemblance to the swords Ahsoka Tano and the nice young man who had come to their rescue had carried. But in others...well. He had seen something of what a Jedi was capable of. And he by no means underestimated the capabilities of ancient Mandalorians, but against strange powers like that, it was difficult to imagine winning a one-on-one fight with a Jedi. With greater numbers, perhaps, but that did not seem to be an acceptable way to win the darksaber to Bo-Katan – otherwise, as part of his team, she ought to have been able to just accept it from Din, sharing equally in his victory.

“No,” Bo-Katan said. “It was built by a Mandalorian, who had become a Jedi. And after his death, his clan retrieved it from the Jedi Temple.”

“Then it was never won properly in combat, by your own rules,” Din pointed out. “Doesn’t that mean it belongs to the Jedi?”

“That was long ago,” she said, dismissively. “It has been a part of our history for far longer, and it has been earned through combat ever since.”

Din...really did not understand her reasoning.

On the other hand, he now was starting to see a way out of this. Oh, sure, he supposed he could agree to spar with her – but what happened if he won? And what happened if he lost, but she thought he had thrown the fight? There would be no end to this. But...

“Sounds like the Jedi have a claim to this thing,” he said. “If you won’t accept it, maybe one of them will.”

Bo-Katan’s expression turned incredulous. “You aren’t serious,” she said.

“You can take it,” Din said, again. “Tell everyone you won it from me, or from Gideon; I don’t care and I won’t dispute it. It means something to you, but to me...it’s just a sword. I don’t want it. I don’t care about it. And because of that, you won’t ever get the fight you want from me.”

“I have told you why I can’t do that,” Bo-Katan said. “And you refuse to understand.”

Din said nothing. There was no point. There had been too much talking already, and neither of them was going to convince the other.

Bo-Katan seemed to realize this, as her incredulous expression gave way to anger.

“You can _not_ simply give the darksaber to the Jedi.”

“I will.”

Her expression darkened into a deep scowl. “You _will_ regret this.”

Din just switched off the holocall.

“That went well,” Cara commented before draining the last of her drink. “So, going to go off searching for Jedi again, huh?”

“I’m just...returning a cultural artifact to its rightful people.”

“Uh huh. And I’m sure all the fretting you’ve done about the little guy has nothing to do with it.”

Din didn’t say anything for several moments. “...it would...be good to check up on him. See how he’s settling in. How his training’s going,” he admitted. He knew Grogu was better off with his own kind, with someone who could understand his powers and guide him through them, away from the violence and instability of a bounty hunter’s life. The kid deserved better than what Din could give him, and Din ultimately wanted what was best for him.

Din missed him all the same. And if he had a reason to visit, it couldn’t hurt, right? He knew he would have to say goodbye again, but...he could live with that. He could be prepared for that.

“Well, come on, then,” Cara said. “I said I’d help you find a ship that wouldn’t attract attention from the New Republic. And I suppose you’ll need my help to find your Jedi again.”

“You...know where to find him?” Din asked.

“No, but I can contact people who do,” she said. She couldn’t see his quizzical expression through the helmet, but seemed to pick up on his questions nonetheless. “That man – the one who left with the kid – he was part of the Rebel Alliance. I know who his friends are.”

“You’ve known where I could’ve found a Jedi this entire time?” Din asked, incredulous. His journey would have been much simpler if Cara had just _said_ something…

But she shook her head. “I didn’t know he was a Jedi. He was just...a pilot. A good one, the one who blew up the first Death Star. That’s all I knew him as.”

That was understandable, Din supposed. “I see.”

“But he has friends,” Cara continued. “One of them’s bound to know how to contact him, if we explain.”

“Good. That will make things easier.”

“Sure,” Cara agreed, “but first we need to find you a ship.”

_That_ was true. Din sorely wished for the _Razor Crest_ back – pre-Empire ships were difficult to find. Though even that didn’t seem to be enough to keep the New Republic off his back these days.

He would have to settle for something, and quickly. Bo-Katan was likely already on the move to track him down and try to stop him, and Din wanted to wash his hands of this darksaber as soon as he could. It was far more trouble than it was worth.

And, of course, the potential of visiting Grogu and seeing him again was motivation all on its own.

**Author's Note:**

> This is a oneshot and I have no plans to continue it at this time.
> 
> It is really funny how much emphasis Bo-Katan and Gideon put on the darksaber needing to be earned in combat when the Mandalorians only got it in the first place because they snuck into the Jedi Temple and stole it.


End file.
